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Sunday, December 5, 2010

"News can hardly come more fresh and timely than this..."Editor's comment.

Marketing with Video

PublishedDecember 5, 2010 by

Sandra Spence

Just as your articles establish you as an expert authority, your marketing videos should do the same. To accomplish this, you need to consistently bring your viewers:

Marketing with Video

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• Reliable facts and information

• Solutions to common problems

• Information full of great benefits: for example, show how to save money, perform a task much more easily, actually use your product, learn a new skill

It doesn’t matter what topic your video follows – whether it’s instructional, funny, a “talking head” video, an interview – that’s only the method of delivery. To be perceived as valuable, you need to include solutions, benefits and facts your viewer can use.

Once you you have a video meeting this criteria, it’s time to add the second ingredient to your “success” mix… And that is “Promotion”.

Here are several ways you can increase your views.

1. Invite comments from right within your video. If you’ve uploaded it to a site such as YouTube, you really want those comments and back-links to related videos coming in! Directly inviting comments with a call to action is a much overlooked technique.

2. Create a buzz on your social networks. This goes without saying, of course; but push it one step further by asking your friends and contacts to promote it too. This is easy if you belong to a “Tribe”! (You’d be surprised how often this simple step is missed!) Finish off your Twitter tweet with (“please re-tweet”). Ask your friends on Facebook to Stumble or Digg it. Use the “Share” feature on YouTube (have a list handy!) when you first upload your video.

3. Consider your viewers. Create HD and regular versions, to accommodate viewers with all types of equipment. State that both versions are available in all your promotional efforts – many viewers on dial-up who might ordinarily ignore all video announcements will actually check out videos, if someone points out they’re (a) short (b) available in “low res” as well as “high”.

4. Include a trailer. Most likely, your video was made to direct people to your website. Let them know who you are, what you’re known for and where they can reach you. Don’t assume that just having the URL appear for two seconds at the end of your video is going to do all the work. A 15 second trailer makes your video efforts look professional and focused. This can be created very easily at www.Animoto.com

5. Leave a link to your site beside your video, as well as in it! Links within videos are not searchable: Links in YouTube’s text areas are definitely search-able. Your link should be at the very beginning of your description.

6. Titles create the interest, and should be powerful. Remember that your viewers will be searching by key-phrase. They may not know they’re using keywords, but this is what will either bring up your video as a suggestion for them to view – or not. Use Google’s free keyword tool, to get an idea of what they’re searching for.

What Your Marketing Videos Say About You?

Keeping these tips in mind will help your videos deliver the most important message of all: That you’re an expert and professional who knows what you’re doing – and knows exactly how to help.